Former Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has predicted that teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will become a force for world cricket, Indian cricket, and franchise cricket. The 15-year-old is on the verge of making his international debut for India in the second T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Sunday, following a record-breaking IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals.
Sangakkara Recalls Discovery of Sooryavanshi
Speaking on Sky Sports, Sangakkara detailed how Rajasthan Royals first identified the prodigy. In 2023, team analyst Akshay sent a text about a 12-year-old named Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, describing him as incredibly talented. His coach, Manish Ojha, had told Sooryavanshi's father that the boy was ready for big leagues at just 12. Initially surprised, the team brought him in after Akshay's insistence.
Rahul Dravid, then head coach at RR, watched Sooryavanshi for five or six minutes and declared, "We have to buy this lad." Sangakkara first saw him during a camp in Guwahati. In a small side net, Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma were bowling with the new ball. No one wanted to bat there, but Sooryavanshi walked in and said, "I'll bat." The sound of his bat was like a gunshot. He took on Archer and Sandeep with ease. At one point, Archer stopped and laughed because this 14-year-old was treating him with utter disdain.
Record-Breaking Performances
Sooryavanshi earned his maiden national call-up after a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five fifties. He finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer while smashing a record 72 sixes. He also swept multiple post-season honours, including the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player, Super Striker and Super Sixes awards.
In the recent tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, featuring Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, Sooryavanshi made 211 runs in five innings at an average of 42.20, with a strike rate of almost 201, including a best score of 94 and his solitary fifty in the final. He also smacked the fastest List A cricket fifty in 11 balls against Sri Lanka A.
Unbelievable Confidence
Sangakkara shared a story from the current IPL season that highlights Sooryavanshi's confidence. During a match against Lucknow Super Giants, LSG needed to defend 220 to stay alive. As Sooryavanshi was walking out to open, he winked at Sangakkara and said, "Coach, don't worry. It's done." He then told teammates Donovan Ferreira and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, "Listen, you two, I'm going to hit 13 sixes today. After that, you just finish the job." He ended up hitting 10 sixes in that game. Ferreira and Pretorius initially thought he was joking, but when he reached five sixes, they started counting down because they realized he was actually going to do it. Sangakkara noted that this is the kind of confidence Vaibhav has at just 15 years of age.
Handling Fame and Attention
On how Sooryavanshi is equipped to handle the fame and attention, Sangakkara said, "I feel Vaibhav will handle all the attention very well. At Rajasthan Royals, we pay a lot of attention to how we manage him and protect him. We keep an eye on him to make sure he stays grounded and focused. He will have many opportunities ahead, in cricket and commercially. How he balances that, and the support he gets from his family and the team, will be crucial."
"But one thing I can say for sure is that Vaibhav loves batting. He loves the game. The fame and flash don't really affect him. He is very grounded and curious about many things. He doesn't just live and breathe cricket all the time. He has space for other things. I have no doubt he will be a force for Indian cricket, world cricket, and in franchise cricket. Mentally, he is in a good place. I think he will deal with everything that comes with fame very well," he concluded.
Potential Debut
India lost the first T20I against Ireland by 34 runs. The second T20I will take place in Belfast on Sunday, and the biggest talking point will be the debut of Sooryavanshi, which, if it happens, will make him the youngest Indian to play international cricket at the age of 15.
